The Pittsburgh Penguins defense corps is quite the interesting mishmash of players. Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang spearhead the group on the right side, but after today, nobody truly knows how things will line up.
Thursday afternoon's trade with the Dallas Stars to bring Matt Dumba into the fold has further complicated everything. Dumba becomes the second right-handed defenseman the Penguins have acquired this summer via trade, along with Connor Clifton, putting them at four right-shot everyday NHL defenders. That's without even factoring in the potential that top prospect Harrison Brunicke knocks down the door and earns a spot at training camp.
With Kyle Dubas having added to the logjam of righties on defense, trade speculation around Erik Karlsson is in full force. Karlsson has been in the rumor mill all offseason long, though nothing has ever felt close to materializing until today's transaction.
Everything Dubas and the front office have done this summer points to a team with its eyes set squarely on Gavin McKenna and the top of the 2026 draft class. So, whether it's later this offseason or at some point leading up to the deadline, it really does feel inevitable that Erik Karlsson won't be a Penguin much longer, especially given the current direction of the franchise.
The Penguins do still value Erik Karlsson
While the writing may be on the wall for EK65's time in Pittsburgh, the organization still holds him in high regard, and understandably so. Karlsson is the Penguins' best offensive defenseman by far, and without his skill set, an already thin blue line would get that much worse.
NHL Watcher shared what TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston had to say about Karlsson's future in the Burgh on Thursday in a post on X.
Chris Johnston: "I think a (Erik) Karlsson trade is still possible but the Penguins are not just giving him away, they still correctly see himself as someone who can make a difference for a team"
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) July 10, 2025
Many have speculated about the Toronto Maple Leafs' interest in the 35-year-old, though they have limited cap space and very few assets that would intrigue Kyle Dubas. The Red Wings and Stars are two other teams that have been mentioned in connection to Karlsson, Detroit being a much more plausible landing spot.
Despite the interest, it won't be easy to find a team that checks all the boxes in order to make an Erik Karlsson trade work prior to the 2025-26 season. Either way, it's certainly a situation worth continuing to monitor in the coming days and weeks.